This invention relates to new and improved article supporting pallets and attachment methods in which attachment hardware is adjustably secured to a primary pallet member so that it can be selectively adjusted to accommodate a wide range of different articles of differing sizes, shapes and with different attaching points. In this invention, a primary pallet member can be releasably attached into a pocket of a protective shell-like sled to form a pallet assembly that augments forklift handling, line conveyance, article build-up or loading thereon and subsequent shipping.
Prior to the present invention, various pallet constructions have been provided with dunnage dedicated to specific articles being built and shipped. For vehicle seat build-up and shipment, for example, pallets of rugged plastics material have been provided with slots, springs, and clips with hog rings and various other fastener constructions fixed thereon have been devised so that the seat can be installed or built-up into a finished unit thereon. These pallets allow the seats to be subsequently conveyed as a module on a conveyor and shipped with the pallet to an assembly plant. At such plant, the seat assembly is removed from the pallet and installed in the body of an automotive vehicle being built.
While such prior pallet constructions have materially advanced mass production techniques, the pallets and the article fasteners thereon are subject to significant damage and from high impact forces and loads. This damage frequently occurs when these pallets are moved on a line from an initial loading station to seat build-up and upholstery stations and then to a shipment station so that the seats held on the pallet can be loaded on a carrier for transport to an automotive assembly plant. At the plant, the pallets are subject to further damage from handling and conveyance as the seats are removed from the pallet and installed in a vehicle. The pallets are then collected together for repair or return to the seat assembly plant for reuse.
In addition to damage from handling, the prior art pallets are generally dedicated to the shipment of certain articles. For example, the pallets for seat build-up and shipment have permanently fixed attachment slots and hardware to accommodate only certain types and sizes of seats. If different seat constructions are to be shipped, the pallets are sent to a retrofit facility where the pallets are rebuilt or repaired if necessary. Often the original attachment devices are removed and replaced by different attachment and securing devices at locations different from those of the original to suit different sizes or types of articles to be conveyed. The new devices are permanently fixed thereby making the retro fitted pallet permanently dedicated to the different articles to be conveyed. Such retrofitting is time consuming and costly and results in other inherent inefficiencies such as dead head shipping, storage, weather and work delays causing increased costs which are generally added to the price of the finalized product.
With the above problems in mind, this invention is directed to a new and improved pallet assembly which has a primary load carrying primary pallet member that has article attachment bracketry thereon. This bracketry can be readily adjusted and changed to accommodate a wide range of sizes and types of articles to be carried thereon so that off-site adjustments, repairs and retrofits are substantially reduced or eliminated. In this invention, a special protective shell or sled is provided in which the primary pallet member can be secured so that damage thereto is sharply reduced. The sled augments conveyance on a line and has handling features such as large laterally-spaced openings for handling by fork lifts or other transfer machinery. The peripheral walls of the sled surround and protect the primary pallet and its article attachment bracketry from mechanical damage. For highly automated systems, the primary pallet and sled are separated from one another so that the primary pallet can be used without the sled since it can be readily handled and conveyed by automated equipment. When used without the sled, there is a reduction in pallet bulk and weight so that economies are obtained in handling and shipping pallets.
In one embodiment of this invention, a dual section pallet assembly has a primary pallet fitted with article attachment brackets that are adjustably mounted on the upper surface thereof to accommodate a wide range of different styled articles, such as seats for automobiles. These brackets include adjustable front and rear attachment devices with vertical and horizontal pins to fit into attachment openings in seat support construction so that the seats are releasably secured on the pallet in a manner suitable for handling and conveyance. The horizontal and vertical attachment pins are accordingly adjustably mounted to the pallet to provide article connections that augment easy securement of articles of different sizes on the pallet and easy removal therefrom. The primary pallet can be readily fixed to a bottom sled provided with openings for forklift handling and with peripheral walls so that the primary pallet and its attachment brackets are protected from breakage or other damage during handling and conveyance on a work line for example. The primary pallet by itself, or the unitized multiple part pallet, allows seats and other articles to be built on the primary pallet so that assembly is enhanced. The primary pallets are readily removed from the associated sleds so that they be handled and transferred by automatic equipment such as stacking and unstacking units. Also, the primary pallets can be automatically conveyed from the line to a transport vehicle after the articles have been attached to the pallet for subsequent shipment to an assembly plant.
It is a feature, object and advantage of this invention to provide a new and improved pallet comprising a primary pallet with bracketry which is readily adjustable for carrying a wide range of articles of different sizes such as seats for vehicles and for carrying a wide range of different articles.
Another feature, object and advantage of this invention is to provide a new and improved sled which can be employed to be assembled with and to carry a primary pallet that enhances handling by forklift, or other article handling and transfer units, and to protect the primary pallet and its dunnage from breakage or other damage that may otherwise occur during movement on a line to a predetermined station.
Another feature, object and advantage of this invention is to provide a new and improved method for automating production employing pallets with adjustable brackets and optional pallet supporting sleds to carry different types of similar articles and a wide range of different articles .